Then they tramped on, and, a little later, a call from their left gave them hope. Blake and Alice were over there. “What is it?” called Phil. “Have you found her?” “No,” answered Blake in disappointed tones. “Alice thought she heard her, but it turned out to be a stray cow. Any luck?” “Not a bit!” “Where are the others?” “Not far off. I can see their light. I guess they haven’t struck any clues.” “We’ll have to wait until morning.” “I think so, but we’ll look a little farther.” So they kept on. But it was evident that Natalie was not in that part of the woods. After some difficulty the three bands of searchers got together again, Jack, his sister and Mrs. Bonnell having wandered into a sort of swamp, where the water oozed over their shoes. They were wet, tired and miserable. “We—we can’t find her!” faltered Marie. “Oh, where can she be?” murmured Mabel. “Now, there’s no use worrying,” insisted Blake. “But, we can’t help it,” said his sister. “We just must, girls,” declared Mrs. Bonnell in firm tones. “We must not worry!” “But, poor Natalie!” cried Alice. “Be sensible,” ordered the Guardian. “She is well and strong, and able to take care of herself. Something may have unavoidably detained her, and——” “But, where did she go? Where could she stay after dark?” Marie wanted to know. “We can’t tell. Certainly we will have to find her. Perhaps we had better go back to camp and summon help,” suggested Mrs. Bonnell. “Oh, let’s!” chorused the girls, and this was voted the best plan. “There’s a camp of young fellows not far from ours,” said Jack when they were all back at Dogwood—a disconsolate enough party. “We’ll get them and beat the woods. You girls had better stay here now. We’ll find her. I’ll row down in one of your boats, and get them.” He hurried to the little dock, and at once called out: “Where’s your small rowboat?” “Isn’t it there?” asked Mrs. Bonnell in surprised tones. “Not a sign of it.” In the flickering light of the lanterns those near the tents looked at each other. Then Marie cried: “I see it now! Natalie went out in a boat and is drowned! Oh, Natalie!” and she fell to sobbing on Mrs. Bonnell’s shoulder. CHAPTER XXVI A SPRAINED ANKLE “Now look here, sis!” exclaimed Jack, purposely cross. “This is all nonsense! Natalie isn’t drowned any more than you are! Don’t be silly!” “I’m not!” she retorted, brought somewhat to herself by his manner of speaking. “But isn’t the boat gone?” “Of course it is,” he admitted, “and it may be that Nat is in it. But that’s a long way from saying she is drowned. Nat knows how to manage a boat.” “Then why doesn’t she come home?” asked Alice. “There _you_ go!” cried her brother. “You girls are all alike—bound to look on the dark side.” “Well,” tearfully protested Alice, “can you show us a bright side?”